Environmental incidents and disaster recovery
Culgoa Floodplains National Park in flood in 2011.
Australian landscapes and ecosystems have been shaped by adaptation and evolution through millennia of natural phenomena including flood, drought, fire and cyclones.
Unlike any other time in history, Queensland’s terrestrial, aquatic and marine environments are subject to a complex array of human-caused threatening processes (such as invasive species, land clearing, urbanisation and natural resource use), which have reduced the state’s natural resilience to large-scale natural events and man-made disasters.
This, coupled with the anticipated escalation in extreme events in future years, means that components of Queensland’s environment and natural resources are more vulnerable to disaster than ever before.
Disaster events that can affect the environment may include a cyclone, flood, storm, storm tide, tsunami, or other natural happening; an explosion or fire, a chemical, fuel or oil spill, or a gas leak; or, an infestation, plague or epidemic.
The below table lists some of the potential environmental impacts from different types of disaster events:
| Type of disaster | Associated environmental impact |
|---|---|
Cyclone/severe storm |
|
Flood |
|
Drought |
|
Bushfires |
|
Sourced from UNEP (2008) Environmental Needs Assessment in Post-Disaster Situations: A Practical Guide for Implementation.
Recovering from a disaster event
The Shen Neng tanker grounded in the Great Barrier Reef in 2010.
Environmental recovery is includes the restoration and regeneration of:
- biodiversity (species and plants) and ecosystems
- natural resources
- environmental infrastructure
- amenity/aesthetics (e.g. scenic lookouts), and
- culturally significant sites and heritage structures.
It also includes the management of environmental health, waste, contamination and pollution and hazardous materials.
Recovering the environment involves the coordinated process of supporting affected communities in:
- identifying and advising on environmental and cultural heritage impacts and risks. This may include air quality, water quality, soil and groundwater, landscapes, ecosystems and wildlife, heritage places and indigenous cultural heritage
- rehabilitating, conserving and supporting the natural recovery of impacted (or at risk) terrestrial, aquatic and marine ecosystems, wildlife, landscapes and natural resources
- restoring and conserving impacted (or at risk) cultural heritage values and places
- supporting long-term community sustainability needs. This may include reinstating environmental protections and ecosystem services, and advancing Ecologically Sustainable Development principles in built environment recovery, economic recovery and waste management
- ensuring environmental bodies, affected communities and interest groups are involved in the decision making process.